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RPlog:Paul Nighman's Letter
You head into the Barracks. NR Spare Barracks -- Calamari(#4222RnFJ) Row upon row of meticulously made cots line in military precision down the cold, off-white walls of this plain-looking room, each separated by a barracks locker and side-table. This room is normally silent, the shadows cast by the lights above harsh and stark against the bare floor. You can see doorways leading off into private rooms and bathing rooms at the far end of the hall. -=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=- Womprats Skeezix arrives from the corridor. Skeezix has arrived. Shenner arrives from the corridor. Shenner has arrived. Shenner pads into the room in General Calhoun's wake, and, as she does, she pipes, "Jess!" At Shenner's blurt, Skeezix looks over towards Jessalyn and a grin spreads across his face. "Jessalyn," he says, "Good to see you." Jessalyn is stretched on her bunk, dozing, fully-clothed, with a datapad resting against her chest. Her eyes dart open at the sound of her name and she glances up at the two, sheepishly. "Oh.. hello..." Shenner blinks apologetically. "Didn't mean to wake yah..." She moves to Jessalyn's side, and crouches down, unsurely. "Sorry I didn't send a message back yesterday, too... I didn't know you were gonna be let out of the hospital yet!" Skeezix follows Shenner with a slow yet wide gait and comes to rest as he nears the corner of Jessa's bed. Jessalyn reaches a hand to comfort Shenner, touching her shoulder, and smiles down at her. "It's all right. Where ya been, huh?" She spares a glance up at the general inquisitively. Shenner To a passing glance, this individual might be summed up as 'young male human', and certainly the walk, stance, and mannerisms seem like those a brash young man would have. But a closer observation might show that while the rust-red hair is boyishly short, there is nevertheless a slight softness to it; that while the lean build and tallish height of about 5'6" might say 'youth', there is nevertheless a slight curve of breast and hip; and, that while the voice is almost tenorishly low, it is still too high to really pass for that of a young man. The face is the clearest signal that this is indeed a young woman, for her features, dominated by large, luminous, and sharply intelligent green eyes, are far too delicate to be male. This human is clad in blandly unobtrusive garb, the kind you might expect any common laborer or traveller to have on: a simple white tunic with a turned-up collar; a heavy, padded vest of dark grey, with multiple pockets; breeches of a slate-blue hue, tucked into scuffed but serviceable calf-high boots of a neutral tan suede. Over all of this is worn an overlarge brown flight jacket, big enough that it tends to obscure the utility belt at her waist -- and the blaster holster. Skeezix The man before you stands to about 5'11. He is bulky, agile and carries a determined look in his vivid blue eyes. He is young, looking to be about 26, his short brown hair just starting to show age. A gold wedding band is always worn on his left hand ring finger. He is currently dressed in a pair of extremely well pressed khaki pants and shirt, each bearing an overwhelming sense of military perfection. The collar of this man's uniform is snapped tightly around his thick neck and gives yield to a beautiful, flowing green cape that falls down his back and lies inches from the floor. Upon each shoulder he carries a shining silver star, and farther up his left shoulder, a bright red New Republic flame burns. a five-pip red insignia has been pinned upon his right breast, and five rows of gleaming medals line up on his left. A jet black military belt is wrapped around his waist and gives way to an old, worn out holster carrying some type of pistol within. His military grade combat boots shine vividly, reflecting the objects around him as if they were made of glass. Shenner observes sheepishly, "I found Paul." Skeezix -appears- to be watching Shenner, yet he passes a brief sidelong glance over towards Jessalyn. No expression can be read from his dutiful face. Jessalyn raises her brows, frowning slightly. "Oh." She pauses uncertainly, then comments, "I didn't know he was missing. Again." Blowing out a breath, Shenner says, "Uhm, well... General Calhoun here said he, uh, got hurt in the fight.... so I went to go see if he was okay, see? He gimme a card with an address on it, before he left, last time..." Jessalyn nods slowly, tilting her head. "The academy?" she asks quietly, concern in her voice and in the grim line of her mouth. "Sorta," Shenner allows. "I went there first. He's stayin' with a professor friend of his, now.... hm... oh, I, uh, he gimme a note to give you." The kid fishes into a pocket, and produces, of all things, a paper letter. Jessalyn reaches for the envelope and looks at it for a moment. She swallows hard and sits up straighter, looking uncertain. "A note," she repeats softly, then glances up nervously at the others. "I see. I guess he didn't want to talk to me.. in person." Shenner sighs a little, then says meekly, "He's, uhm. He was scared, I think..." Skeezix furrows his eyebrows, a look of uncertainty briefly sneaking it's way into his face as he eyes the letter, then Jessalyn, as if waiting for her to open it or tell him to leave. Jessalyn nods thoughtfully at Shenner, and gives her shoulder another squeeze, before glancing up at the general, the other hand idly playing with the crease in the paper envelope. Shenner asks Jessalyn, "You, uh, wanna read it alone?" Skeezix's mouth drops open for a brief moment, and he averts his gaze, taking a few steps away from the bed. Jessalyn frowns again, and shrugs, averting her gaze from both of them, and tears open the envelope. She turns slightly away from them as she reads it, her head bent, hair falling around her face to shield her expression as her eyes scan the hand-written words. reads the letter.... --------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Jessalyn, Through Shenner and the hospital I have managed to keep tabs on your condition, which I've been assured of is good. I'm sorry that I cannot come and visit you in person, but I don't feel that I am quite up to that right now. I know that you will be angry, but I think that for both of our sakes, perhaps it would be best if we did not see each other again. I cannot help but see that I am constantly hurting you and upsetting you. I cannot deny that you have in turn wounded me. With the culmination of this resulting in our fight the other night, and your subsequent injuries, I think that perhaps we do each other greater harm than good. Know that I do make this choice lightly or easily. Know that I care for you deeply. If you ever truly need me, I will be there for you, but I think that your other friends will serve you better and with greater care than my bumbling hands have done. Best of luck to you with your promotion, with Luke, and with life. Yours always, Paul Nighman ------------------------------------------------------------------ Not quite sure how to take that, Shen settles down to sit on the floor, and tries not to look straight at Jessalyn, for at least a modicum of privacy as she reads her letter. Jessalyn inhales a sharp breath, her body tensing as she finishes. Then she re-reads it, more carefully this time, her lips moving silently as she passes over the words. After letting her gaze linger on the signature, she refolds the sheet of paper and places it very carefully back into its envelope, her face pale as she finally looks back at the others near her. Skeezix slowly backs away and, as quietly as possible for a General wearing highly polished combat boots, makes his way towards the door, surely not wishing to intrude. Shenner glances off as the General slips out, then returns her gaze to Jessalyn, anxiously. "You, uh, okay?" Jessalyn barely notices the general's departure, and she licks her lips nervously. "Yeah," she says in a tremulous voice. "I ... I sort of expected it." She fingers the envelope, then moves to place it inside her nearby bag, amazed at the trembling of her hands. "Ain't sure I wanna know, now," Shenner mumbles. Jessalyn pushes her hair back from her face, lifting her eyes from shadow and revealing the glistening of her watery eyes. "Neither did I, Shen." Suddenly chilled, she wraps her arms around herself and stares blankly across the room. Shenner offers tinily, "You need a hug?" Jessalyn looks over at her friend, looking nearly as young as her as she gives a small nod, her lower lip trembling as she struggles to stop her feelings this once. Shenner takes that in, and promptly climbs up on the bunk beside Jess, wrapping slender arms around the woman. Jessalyn hugs Shenner tightly for a long moment, eyes squeezed shut, and smiles at her as she finally draws away. "Well... I guess I'm on my own now, huh." Shenner swallows, and says huskily, "I'm here, ain't I?" Jessalyn touches the youthful curve of Shenner's cheek, smiling. "You are a good friend, Shen. I know you won't stay around me forever. I don't expect you, too." She pauses, then looks away, shrugging. "If you can go be with Paul... then, you should." "But... but what about Yavin?" the girl blurts, clearly taken aback. Jessalyn pats your hand comfortingly. "You're free to choose where you want to go, Shenner." "But... I want to be with you, Jessa...." Shenner frowns, looking visibly dismayed. She doesn't voice the addendum of 'but I also want', but it's quite clear in her face, and you can see her wrestling with it. Jessalyn smiles reassurance. "You know you'll always have a welcome place with me. I love you. You've taught me more than you know." She bites her lower lip. "But I want you to be happy. It's your decision alone, and don't do anything just because of what others expect of you." Shenner blinks, three times, then, eyes getting teary, she abruptly and fiercely hugs Jessalyn again. Jessalyn chuckles softly as she returns the hug. "Hey.. you okay?" She pats your back gently, her own body now trembling as well. Shenner breathes, "I... think so.... I-I just wish you and Paul could be happy too, you know?" Jessalyn leans back to look down at you, her smile much fainter now. "I suppose he's doing what he thinks will make him happy. And... I'll be all right, too." She forces a certainty into her voice that she doesn't really feel, regarding her younger friend with compassionate green eyes. Shenner chews her lower lip uncertainly, and offers, "I think he's worried about you bein' happy, too...." Jessalyn shrugs and wipes a hand across her eyes. "Perhaps. But... he's more afraid of working things out, I think." She purses her lips , a struggle showing on her face as she picks her datapad back up and peers back down at it. "He knows where I am. I'm not going to go chasing after him to beg for forgiveness or anything." She punches a few keys, unwilling to look back at Shenner. Shen scoots slightly away to give Jess room to fetch her pad, and wraps her arms around one of her knees. "Just a thought," she mumbles. Skeezix walks into the barracks, a chilled wind following him. Jessalyn blows a lock of hair away from her eyes and stares hard at the screen for a moment. Then she turns her head to regard Shenner thoughtfully. Her expression softening, she reaches to touch her arm. "Shen... He's made up his mind. I don't want to force him to talk to me if he doesn't want to." Sheepishly, Shenner nods to Jessalyn, and offers her a wan grin, as if to assure that she won't argue. "'Kay..." The return of General Calhoun distracts the kid, then, as she glances over at the *shoosh* of the door. Skeezix walks in and offers a slight smile to both, "Good evening." Shenner ventures back, "Yo..." Jessalyn glances at Skeezix from the corner of her eye, nodding, and then turns her attention back to Shenner. "Did he... talk to you last night?" she asks, vaguely. Shenner blows out a breath, and fidgets with the toe of her boot. "Yeah," she mumbles. Skeezix perks an eyebrow at Shenner's greeting, then moves over towards his cot, sitting down quietly Jessalyn tries to catch Shenner's gaze with her own, tilting her head. "How did it go," she asks quietly. Shenner, it would seem, is quite fascinated by her own footwear. "He wanted to know what I'm gonna do, too..." Jessalyn nods slowly, setting the datapad back down on the bed, and looking somewhat somber and pensive. "Have you decided?" Skeezix looks over towards Shenner and Jessalyn, appearing a bit confused, perhaps even lost, at this moment. "I... uh... not really," admits the girl. "It ain't like... I got a job or anything.... 'less I wanna try an' and see if I can get in a band or somethin'...." Jessalyn rubs her chin thoughtfully. "Well, I know you need time to think about where... and with whom.. you'd like to be. But..." She hesitates, a warm smile crossing her face. "You know that whatever you decide, you'll always have a welcome place with me." Shenner flicks a sheepish look over at Jessa, and grins wanly. "Thanks... only so long I can go moochin' off of anybody, anyway...." She waggles the foot she's got propped up on the bunk. "I gotta do... _somethin'_, I dunno..." Skeezix chuckles slightly and asks, "What, you're actually gona find a place to settle down, kid?" Jessalyn smiles at Shenner again, then sighs softly and crosses her legs in front of her on the bunk. She glances at Skeezix as he speaks, then averts her gaze again, lips pressed tightly together. At the General's joining the conversation, the kid looks over, and smirks, but not unkindly. "Well, it's either get me a real job, busk till whatever city I'm in decides I'm the next galactic musical sensation" -- she delivers this with a snort -- "or start pickin' pockets again, and I'm given to understand that pickin' pockets is rude, crude, and socially unacceptable." The General does manage to catch Jessalyn's glance and reaction, yet he seems to ignore it as he listens to Shenner's reply. "You know kid," he comments, "I'd hate to haul you in fer a misdemeanor." He then grins, "And don't forget, I'm always looking for good recruits." A slight wink follows, not playful, yet not threatening. Skeezix smirks, "I've changed a few lives before." Jessalyn glances at Shenner from the corner of her eyes before resting her chin in her hands, elbows on her knees, and staring distantly across the room. Shenner quirks her head a little, eyeing Calhoun. "So what _are_ you General of?" Skeezix replies, "Well, if you must know... the entire Republic Army." He leans forward and begins to untie his combat boots slowly as he adds, "Hell, kid, we could have you enlisted -as- our bandleader... you'd never have to go on a combat mission, and Jessalyn here would be your superior officer." He looks up after pulling his boots off with a grin. Jessalyn looks between the two of them, and chuckles. "Sounds reasonable to me. I just want Shenner to be happy. And I'm not sure that... would be what she wanted..." She knits her brows as she lets her soft green gaze rest on Shenner's face, almost searchingly. l Shen's green eyes blink at Calhoun's casual declaration of his rank, and she spends the rest of his words with her mouth open, then shut when she remembers to close it. She then giggles a little, unsteadily. "Private Shenner. That'd be a hoot. I didn't even know the NR had a band..." Skeezix chuckles lively, "We don't, kid. But hell, I'm sure it'd boost troop morale." Shenner looks across the room at the General, as if a trifle dubious that she could manage to boost _anyone's_ morale -- perhaps because there's a hint about her as though her own morale isn't too incredibly high. "You're serious..." Skeezix pulls his hands back behind his neck and begins to unclip his cape. "Well, with that attitude kid, I might not be -as- serious.." Jessalyn gives Skeezix a stern look, then turns her gaze to Shenner. "Just do what you feel would make you happy. If being with Paul is what you want.. you should listen to that, if it's a possibility." She swallows hard, struggling to hide any emotoin from her yes. Shenner's face suddenly falls, and she mumbles to Jessalyn, "Paul ain't an option, Jess." Jessalyn touches her shoulder, nodding with understanding. "Then you know we'd love to have you with us." Skeezix furrows an eyebrow and peers over towards Jessalyn. "I..." He cuts himself off with a slight scowl and begins to concentrate fully upon the task of folding his cape. Shenner flicks a weak smile to Jessalyn, then, restlessly, gets up. To Calhoun, she says gruffly, "I... 'ppreciate the offer, General, even though I-I ain't exactly the army type, yah know? I-I gotta think about it..." Then, abruptly, she blurts out, "Y'all mind if I play?" There's just the slightest hint of desperation to the kid's voice. Skeezix raises his eyebrows and replies, "Hey, I'd consider it an audition.." Jessalyn smiles wanly at Shenner and folds her hands in her lap. "Please do." Skeezix begins to change his clothes as he listens. Shenner flicks a weak smile to Jessalyn, then, restlessly, gets up. To Calhoun, she says gruffly, "I... 'ppreciate the offer, General, even though I-I ain't exactly the army type, yah know? I-I gotta think about it..." Then, abruptly, she blurts out, "Y'all mind if I play?" There's just the slightest hint of desperation to the kid's voice. Jessalyn smiles wanly at Shenner and folds her hands in her lap. "Please do." Shenner bobs her head mutely at both the older ones in the room, and digs her guitar case out from under her bunk. The guitar emerges shortly thereafter, and, her face white and her eyes suspiciously liquid, Shenner settles down to warm up, head bent slightly over her instrument. The girl with the guitar doesn't utter another word. Perhaps the guitar speaks more clearly for her; the chords she hits are all minor ones, muted in volume, and when she finally begins playing a melody, it's slow and plaintive. As Skeezix begins to pull his sweats on, he slows a bit as Shenner's music plays into his soul again, just like the first instance aboard the NRV 'Alderaan'. Skeezix is currently sitting on his cot, his sweat pants pulled up only halfway towards his waist as he listens to Shenner, his eyes blinking slowly. Shenner remains huddled over her guitar, playing it; her face is not lifted to the room. The instrument in her hands expresses itself in quite the sorrowful melody, slow trickles of notes plucked across minor chords. Jessalyn is sitting with crossed legs on the same bunk as Shenner, her elbows on her knees, and her chin in her hands as she listens without looking at Shenner. Luke steps into the barracks allowing the door to woosh shut behind him. He tilts his head to the side as recognizable notes drift toward him. He takes a few steps inward, toward the sound. Jessalyn has reconnected. Shenner's head does not lift at the sound of the door, not this time. She remains absolutely fixated on playing her guitar, strumming out some measures several times to get them right. Catching himself, the General takes a moment to, at least, pull up his sweats before he continues watching and listening to the warm, yet saddening melody. Luke pauses, half secluded behind a post near one of the cots, and only a few feet from the group. He leans against it, allowing his gaze to take in the situation. Jessalyn sighs softly, aware somehow of the emotions behind Shenner's song, and stares down at the bunk with a furrowed brow , her face hidden behind her hair which spills forward with her slumped posture. Luke waits for an appropriate moment during the song to interrupt, "Um.. anyone seen Paul?" Sighing, the General slowly lies back onto his bed. His eyes begin to loosen, eyelids falling as Shenner's music seems to pull out a not- so-ancient memory. He closes his eyes voluntarily as the memories themselves begin to bring wetness to his eyes. If the guitar's voice is any indication, Shenner is, to say the least, deeply upset. And when Luke finally speaks, the guitar strings jangle under the kid's hands. Luke gives Shenner a 'you alright?' look. Jessalyn looks up at the sound of the voice, and nearly winces. She gives Shenner a quick sympathetic look, biting her lip. A low grunt interuppts the room as well, coming from the General's cot. He slowly opens his eyes and looks over towards Shenner, the annoyance he feels not apparent in his eyes. Shenner misses everyone's glances, since her head is still bowed over her instrument. Shenner's shoulders start to tremble, as she sits there. Luke frowns slightly, then glances at Jess searching for some explanation. Skeezix, surprised out of his slight misery, swings his legs over the side of his cot and asks, "Kid, you okay?" as he stands up. Jessalyn scoots across the bunk to slide her arm around Shenner's shoulder, and looks up at Luke helplessly. She whispers, barely able for him to hear, "I think it's about Paul," and returns his frown. "Wh..where is he?" Luke murmurs, moving from the post to the cot across from Shenner and Jess, where he sits down. His expression somewhat confused. He continues softly, recognizing some tension here. "I, uh.. went looking for him.. couldn't find him anywhere." Perhaps in answer to Skeez's query, Shenner starts to nod, then changes her mind, shaking her head tightly instead. Still not looking up at anyone, she mumbles more or less in Luke's direction, "He's at Dr. Molari Canto's house..." and she fishes mechanically into her right vest pocket, producing a business card with a scribbled note on the back. This she holds out to Luke. And her hand is shaking. Skeezix shakes his head slowly as the others move in for the kill and leans back again, lying down on his cot. Luke takes the card, eyes not leaving Shenner. He pauses while holding it in his hand, then looks. Jessalyn tightens her arm about the girl's shoulder, frowning, and watches her face carefully. Shenner's eyes have tightly pressed closed. "Canto.." Luke ponders the name. "I don't know him." he flips the card over in his hands, the peers at Shenner, "What's going on huh?" he adds, glancing quickly to Jessalyn. Jessalyn chews on her lower lip as she finally tears her gaze away from Shenner and looks at Luke. "They had a talk last night, it seems," she answers quietly, then gives an awkward shrug. Raggedly, Shenner nods, clutching her guitar in tightened hands; her knuckles go white. She still doesn't look up. Luke straightens in his seat and takes a breath as he regards Shenner, "Oh.." he says quietly. He gives Jess another look that obviously is asking for her to expound on what exactly has happened. He looks even more confused. Skeezix doesn't appear confused. As a matter of fact, as he pulls his arms behind his head to form an extra pillow, the scowl on his face appears to be downright annoyed, stressed, even exhaused -- which is a definate bad sign when seen on this General's face. Jessalyn blows out a frustrated breath, looking embarrassed. Looking at Luke pleadingly, she murmurs, "Luke, isn't it obvious?" She strokes Shenner's shoulder comfortingly. "Paul seems to have decided that we -- that Shenner -- shouldn't be as ... " She seems to struggle for the right words, without being too blatant. "...important to him as he is to ... her." Inadequately, Luke simply responds with a soft, "I'm sorry Shen." With the explanation -finally- in the air, Skeezix seems to visibly relax, turning on his side until he watches Shenner quietly. "Kid.... that's bad news.." "H-he... just don't wanna hurt me... " Shenner mumbles hoarsely, sounding as though her throat has closed up. "He don't wanna... I-I-I'm okay... I'm okay." Luke is definitely out of his element here. He cringes in Jess's general direction. Jessalyn scoffs, "Well he's failed at -that- miserably, it seems." She forces her composure into softer lines and looks back at Luke, eyes still shadowed somehow. "I said I'm okay!" Shenner suddenly barks out. Her voice's volume goes up, but this only makes her attempted fierceness all the more clearly simply a cover for vivid anguish. "C-Can we talk about somethin' else? _Please_?!" Luke turns to Skeezix, "Well I.. wanted to talk to him about Mandalore." he says offhand, and fully aware that his words are and will not be any consolation to the bard, "Then Skeezix and I were planning a trip to Kashyyyk." he winces yet again at Shenners outburst. Skeezix looks over towards Luke and simply nods. "Yeah, that's the truth." Jessalyn massages her temples with her free hand, shaking her head. "Then y'all oughtta talk," Shenner mutters, much more softly, the fierceness draining out of her as quickly as it had flared, leaving her voice listless. "Don't mind me." Jessalyn sighs again, straightening her shoulders, and looks at Luke with a fierce gleam in her green eyes. "Luke, can I see that card she gave you?" Skeezix stands up and walks over towards Shenner. "Kid, we're gonna talk, but you aren't doing a damn good job of hiding the fact that -you- -aren't- okay." Luke breaks his gaze away from Shenner, "Oh.. sure." he hands the card to Jess. Jessalyn nods as she takes the card, then peers at it, memorizing the information on it. She pushes herself off the bunk and hands it back to Luke. "Thank you," she says to him as she turns to pick up her jacket where it hangs on the foot of the bed. Shenner doesn't look up as Jessalyn stands; nor does she look at Calhoun as the General comes over to her. The kid does mumble in the man's general direction, "I'll be okay later then." "Shenner," Skeezix says, "You haven't been okay for days now. I don't see you getting better any time in the near future, either." He kneels down on the floor and attempts to force his gaze into the kid's lowered head. "You hear me?" Luke watches Jess distractedly, "Where are you going?" he half- whispers. Jessalyn slides her arms into the sleeves and fastens the jacket around her waist. "To find Paul," she answers Luke, giving him a quick glance. Shenner starts to answer the General, her face tightening sullenly, before Jessalyn startles her into looking up. "No!" she wails "I'll go with you." Luke says without hesitation as he stands. Jessalyn gives Shenner a sympathetic glance. "This isn't about you, Shenner. Trust me." She hesitates, then nods at Luke. "All right." Skeezix opens his mouth yet repleases an exasperated sigh. "Damnit," he mutters as he looks up towards Jessalyn for the briefest of moments. He then looks back to Shenner and says, "Hey! Kid..." He places a hand on her shoulder, "Let 'em go." The distraught girl eyes Jessalyn uncertainly, as if ready to argue, but finally she just... wilts a little, and nods, dejectedly. Luke steps beside Jess, "I um.. needed to ask you about something anyway. We can talk on the way." he glances back at Shenner, a hopeless look in his eyes. He then nods, "Let's go." Jessalyn slides her hands into her pockets as she steps toward the door and presses the door pad, pausing to look over her shoulder as it slides open. Luke follows Jessalyn out. Luke A human male. Short and slight of build, more agile than powerful. Mildly athletic. His tousled, sandy blonde hair is of medium length and frames a tan face with the beginnings of creases around his clear blue eyes. A faint scar runs along the corner of his mouth with a similiar one near his nose. His chin is gently cleft. He looks quite young, yet his demeanor is purposeful, confident, deliberately calm and belies his age. He seems to be empty of selfishness or ego, with quiet movements and a distant voice which can at times be laden with surprising intensity. From shoulder to toe he is dressed entirely in soft black fabric accompanied by gleaming knee high boots. Around his waist he wears a simple brown utility belt which shows some wear and tear as well as a scuffed silver octagonal buckle. He carries no blaster, nor other obvious weapon or accessory, save for an object hanging from his belt.. A silver cylinder roughly 12 inches in length. Luke has left. You head back into the corridor. Luke goes back to Calamari Luke has left. You go back to Calamari. Calamari Coral City -- Main Spaceport A large docking bay, people of all races bustling between various terminals, the hum of many conversations in different tongues periodically muted by the roaring of a shuttle's engines. Expansive white walls, smooth and cold as washed stone, gleam in the soft light cast by the fixtures in the ceiling. There is the continuous shuffle of cargo being loaded and unloaded and the need to move out of harms way as a cargo lifter passes by you. Occasionally a wisp of salty air tickles your nose but it quickly fades away. A cargo lifter scoots by as it heads toward one of the private docks then disappears north toward the space platform. To the south the shapes and lights of a lively city can be seen. -=-=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=-=- =>Luke -=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=- aiting leads to Waiting To Be Linked. ivil leads to Civil Offices - Calamari. leads to Calamari Coral City -- North Coral Avenue. Luke catches your arm as he slows to a stop, "Hey uh.." he stammers. Jessalyn stops, looking up at you. "What is it?" She frowns. Luke rubs the corner of his mouth, "There is this celebration tomorrow. I thought maybe you'd like to go with me." he says, letting his eyes drift anywhere but to meet yours until he finishes. Jessalyn raises her brows. "Celebration?" She straightens her shoulders. "And you want me to go with you?" She sounds incredulous as she tilts her head, trying to catch your gaze. "Yeah, well.." Luke begins, "..yeah." he also straightens his shoulders looking straight at you. "Want to?" he tries on a grin. Jessalyn fights to keep a grin from taking over her face, biting her lip. "Uhm.. are you sure that... well, a good idea?" she asks casually, trying but failing to mask the eagerness behind her voice. Luke reaches for your hand, "C'mon, it's just a party. It's not like it's dangerous or anything. It'll be fun." Jessalyn chuckles and squeezes your hand, shaking her head. "The party may not be dangerous. But you certainly are, Skywalker." Luke smiles widely, "You may be right about that." he murmurs with a wry flash of his eyes. He adds softer, "But I'm working on that.." as he leads you down the street. Jessalyn looks a bit perplexed, but simply shrugs and follows alongside you. Paul Nighman's Letter